Air New Zealand has always had a good sense of humor and a willingness to try new things. A few years ago, the airline ran an ad featuring naked employees with uniforms painted onto their bodies. Then the airline introduced a sleazy mascot named Rico that it thankfully killed off (but not without grabbing some attention with the death, of course).

The airline with the social media fairy just announced at the San Diego Comic-Con that it has signed a two-film co-branding deal with New Line Cinema and MGM for Peter Jackson's The Hobbit, which will have it using Hobbit-branded aircraft, according to Marketing Magazine.

New Zealand, of course, is where the majority of principal photography was done for the film. Fans of Peter Jackson's earlier Lord of the Rings trilogy, which also struck a marketing partnership with Air New Zealand, often fly the airline to get over to New Zealand to see where some of their favorite scenes were put on film.Continue reading...

Ford and GM credit standing will benefit from new labor pacts, as GM develops new front air bags between the seats for side-impact protection, and Ford sees controversy over its anti-bailout ad grow as congressman asks for investigation.

Adidas prepares marketing campaign for new shoe despite NBA lockout.

Boston Red Sox leave their fans with that blue feeling all over again.

"Buffett Rule" gets poll support from global investors.

Chili's spices up brand with bold commercials and flavors.

Diageo makes a spirited push into India.Continue reading...

The economic downturn has reshaped the movie business, particularly independent film studios. Distributors such as Miramax, New Line Cinema, Picturehouse, ThinkFilm, and Warner Independent Pictures have all downsized or closed completely during this recession.

When the New York-centric indie film scene has flourished, largely due to DVD sales, a glut of smaller films flooded the market. Today’s rules are dictating a new kind of production and marketing ethos, personified by the recent Miramax release, A Single Man.

The film, directed by fashion designer Tom Ford, garnered only $9 million domestic box office, but Miramax—which is being sold by Disney—purchased the rights for substantially less. The studio spent modestly on promotion, and having garnered an Oscar nod for Colin Firth’s performance, expects to make a profit.

Indie cinema's forced frugality also appears to be seeping into the Hollywood way of doing things.Continue reading...